More Michigan Stories

Friday was Noel's big day to try out anything and everything that moves at Wittenbach Orchards. He rode in a golf cart, a high-low (fork lift), a tractor, a four wheeler, and a Brownie. Needless to say he is a little bored with our machine-less house here on Cadillac Drive.

We had a family dinner to celebrate the fourth, and then David, Josh, Ed, and Linda went into town to see the fireworks, only to find out that the fireworks weren't until Sunday.

I think my favorite part of the night was right after Noel's bedtime. Now, you must know that Josh is an eating machine, and one of his favorite things is pop-ice. He has already gone through close to 100 of them this summer. Linda keeps them in her deep freeze in the basement, which is where Noel sleeps when we visit. About 25 minutes after Noel went to bed, we hear Josh run downstairs to get a popsicle. We didn't think anything about it until a few minutes later when we hear from the monitor, "Hello? Hello?" We asked Josh if he saw Noel down there and he said, "Yeah, he was standing up." So David went downstairs to see what the deal was. What Josh had forgotten to mention was the fact that when he went downstairs to get a popsicle he turned the ceiling light on AND LEFT IT ON! So Noel was just standing up in his crib in a fully lit room wondering, "Is it time to get up already?" When we asked Josh he said, "I thought he slept with the light on." Nice try, Josh, but nobody bought it. We teased him about it the rest of the weekend.

Michigan Vacation

I wanted to post some pictures from our journey north to Michigan. We left last Wednesday and got back last night (Sunday). We all had a great time. Several stories to tell, so I'll break them up--a little every day.

On Thursday we went to the zoo with David's parents, Mike and Marnie, their kids (Lizzie, Tye, and Tori) and our nephew Josh, who is working on the farm this summer. Everyone had a really good time. We got a close up look at the tiger and the lions. They also had a petting zoo, which was really fun for Noel. He really enjoyed his cousins, and they were so good about playing with him.

The other big activity of the day is that Tee got shaved. I haven't taken a picture of her yet, but she looks great! And it's so nice not to have her hair EVERYWHERE!

Favorite moments from that day:

*"I didn't know frogs were worthy of their own house" by Josh, as we entered the House of Frogs

*"Every minute we stay after closing time, they shoot another wallaby. Oops, there goes another one." David

*Noel and Grandpa Ed watching the John Deere tractor video together on the way home from the zoo.

The three Edwins in my life

Not many people are as fortunate as I am to have not just one, but THREE Edwins in my life. The first of course, is Noel Edwin. The second is my wonderful father-in-law Edwin. And rounding out the trifecta is the amazing Edwin McCain.

David and I went with Alison Cole to see him in Broadripple last night. It was so good! If you don't know who Edwin McCain is, well, first of all you are missing out on some great guitar music. He's the guy who sang "I could not ask for more" and "I'll be" back in the day, but he is still making great music, and he puts on a great show. This is the third time I've seen him, but I was especially excited last night because David went to see him with me for the first time. He really liked it too. I think my favorite part was at the end when the band did a cover of "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel. It made me want to wear a trench coat and hold up a boom box over my head. (If you don't understand, watch the movie "Say Anything" starring John Cusack as soon as possible).

Thank you, Edwin, for a fun night of music and entertainment.

Morning Fun

I took some pictures of Noel playing this morning right after he got up. I think the first picture is the best because he looks so ticked off. Actually, he's mad because I won't let him touch the camera. Then once he saw himself on the screen after I took the picture he thought it was pretty cool. Here he is playing with one of his favorite types of toys: tractors.

summer fun

Last weekend we went to see our niece, Abby, graduate in Findlay, Ohio. We got to spend some family time with David's parents, David's brother Mike's family, and the Dean family (David's sister's family). We had a really good time with everyone, and Abby's open house was a big success. Here are some pictures. the first picture is of Noel with his cousins Becca and Tori. The second is Noel learning how the microphone works. He was singing along to Becca's beautiful piano solo. (She is an amazing piano player, by the way, just like her mom). The third picture is of Abby with her proud parents. She is headed off to Colorado in January to attend a Christian leadership program for 8 months. We are really excited for her and all that God has planned for her.

Here on the homefront we are enjoying the nice weather and free evenings. Noel loves going on bike rides and playing in the front yard. He has all kinds of words now, and uses them non-stop. He knows that he can make people laugh, and uses it to his advantage. We hope everyone is having a great summer!

camping fun

This past weekend we went camping with about 150 fellow Chapel Hill Members at McCormick's Creek State Park in southern Indiana. We had a really good time. Noel LOVES being outside, so he had lots of fun. The only down side was a huge storm during the night on Friday. Fortunately, there weren't any leaks in the tent, but there were several sleepless hours (mostly from the grownups). We were really glad to get to spend time with Phil and Rita as well as Brian and Ashley Craw, who came up from Lexington, KY to camp with us also. We also got to enjoy our new bikes, especially mine, which is an old school cruiser called "Moon Dog." Don't laugh. You'd love it if you rode it. Here are some pictures of the trip.

Fun in the Photo Booth

We are at the Gorman house in Atlanta now, our last leg of our southern vacation. We spent about 5 days in Charleston, SC and then headed here to see our nephew, Josh, graduate. I will post pictures when we get back, but we had to share the fun we've been having with the Photo Booth, thanks to Mac (which we don't have at home). Enjoy!

Busy Boy

Just wanted to share a few pictures of what Noel has been up to. In April we visited the Collins family, and Noel had a great time hanging out with Jude and Mattie.

And he is all about cars. At first it was our cars that he loved to play in, but now, thanks to the Cole family, Noel has his own wheels to ride around and pick up the ladies.

He is also learning to enjoy all different kinds of foods, especially those dipped in ketchup, as you can tell by the above picture. Hope everyone is enjoying spring!

I'm learning

Things I have learned recently:
*NEVER leave a bottle of bubble soap open, even if you think it's out of reach
*toys never compare to real "grown up" stuff
*A cow says "boo" (according to Noel)
*there are a few downsides to Daylight Savings, such as Noel getting up with the sun at 6:30 a.m. instead of 7:45
*weekend tv stinks once college basketball is over
*sometimes I have unbelievably high expectations of myself and others, which always leads to disappointment
*If you miss the Kohl's sale that's going on today, don't worry. There will be an even bigger one next week
*However I think Noel is going to act in front of other people, he does the exact opposite
*The book of Judges has some great stories! I can't wait to read them to Noel when he's a little older. Tent pegs through the head? Fat kings getting stabbed in the belly? Come on, that's good stuff!
*We are sooooo glad that spring is here!!!

Traveling Clan

Well, we all made it back from Texas safe and sound. After reading the news yesterday about American Airlines, I'm glad our trip was last week and not this week. YIKES!!
We had a great time with the Collins family. Noel did really well traveling and loved playing with Jude and Mattie. He loved their toy room! And David's flight back to Indy was on time, despite the Brownsville airport losing power. We met up at the airport and headed home without any trouble. We are very blessed!

I'd love to post some pictures right here of Noel, but, as expected, I left my digital camera in Texas. So the pictures will have to wait. I always leave something. Anyway, Noel is doing well. He is talking up a storm. One of the funniest words now is "hawlo" which is what he calls the phone ("hello"). Anytime he sees one, he says it. He has also become the "all gone" police, as we like to call him. If he sees anything that has been emptied (glass, plate, trash, etc.) he shouts out, "All gone!!" Not too much gets by him nowadays.

Because everything is bigger there. . .

Texas, here we come! Noel and I are leaving Sunday for Ft. Worth to spend the week with the Collins famiy. And David is leaving Monday for Mexico, but will be staying in Brownsville. We are almost as far away from each other in Texas as we would be if David stayed home, that's how big Texas is. Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing Matt, Jenni, Jude, and Mattie, their new home, the warm weather, and a little break from Kokomo. You can really have only so much Kokomo at one time. Then you kind of overdose.

Also, we are happy to report that David is kidney stone free and feeling very good. It was a long 2 weeks, but the worst is behind us, thank God.

Winter Pictures

If you are interested, click here to see pictures from this winter.




http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AYtWzFi0ZNmLvw

YEOUCH!!!

That is the theme around our house this week. We found out on Monday that David has 2 rather large kidney stones trying to work their way out. David is going to the hospital on Friday to try and get them crushed. They are not sure if they can reach them, but they will try. Say a prayer for David when you can.

Stuck!

Noel was playing around in the kitchen today, and ended up sitting in a mixing bowl. Then he couldn't get out! So David ran and got the camera. Is it bad to take pictures instead of helping him out of his dilemna?

New words now in Noel's vocabulary:
"No" (his favorite!)
Cookie
cheese
Tee

New animal sounds:
horse
cat
sheep

It's like Old MacDonald around here.

We were robbed!!

All year I have been following my Illinois State Men's Basketball team. They did so well this year, finished 2nd only to Drake in the MVC and got 2nd in the conference tournament. But, alas, they were not chosen for the big dance. I was really disappointed, but I will get to see them play on tv since they are a 2nd seed in the NIT (whatever. . .) Go redbirds!!

Puffcorn to the rescue

To anyone out there who has small children, someone introduced me to these things called "Puffcorn Delites" and Noel is officially in love with them. They aren't as messy as cheetos and don't have the hulls that popcorn does. We might buy stock in them!

Reason #43 why I avoid Wal-Mart

So Noel and I went to Wal-Mart to get a few things today. I got a wicker basket to replace one in our house that had broken. When I got up to the checkout, I said to the cashier, "You can just put the rest of the items in the basket." I have been really trying not to be wasteful with those plastic bags. So she proceeds to put all of my items in a bag and THEN in the basket. I told her I didn't need the bag. She got all huffy and said, "Well, why not??" I told her I was trying not to be wasteful. I got the eyeroll and the items were put in the basket, sans bag. You would have thought I'd asked her to recycle or something, the way she reacted. You gotta love it.

Snowed In!

Last weekend, as part of our Christmas, David and I had planned a getaway to Ohio. First, we were supposed to drop Noel off with David's sister. Then we would head to Columbus, Ohio to stay at the Hyatt downtown, have some fun exploring the city, taking our nephew out, and finally watch our Michigan State Spartans play Ohio State.

As most of you know, however, Columbus had the biggest snow in years, over 20 inches. When we left Saturday from Findlay, we thought the weather shows were exaggerating. Not the case at all. After a couple of hours of driving very slowly and cautiously, we ended up stranded in Marion, Ohio, about 45 miles from Columbus. When we got off, we couldn't see anything. David found a Fairfield Inn and went in to talk to someone about the conditions. By then, the police had blocked off the exits and closed the highway completely. Our romantic getaway had just been moved to lovely Marion, Ohio!! Long story short, the evening consisted of hanging out in the hotel room and a trip to Walmart (the only store open in the whole town) for microwave popcorn and poptarts for dinner. But we were safe and thankful for that.

Fortunately, we did make it to the game on Sunday. The Spartans gave away the game at the end, but we had a good time and got to take Aaron out for lunch afterwards. So our plans didn't go quite as expected, but it was an adventure we will not soon forget!

Thoughts about faith

I have been thinking that I can use this blog as more than just an outlet for sharing pictures of Noel, as precious as his little cheeks are.

Faith is on my mind today, and how roller-coaster-y mine is, depending on the circumstances. Right now I'm going through the book of Numbers (I know what you're thinking, "thrilling") and although there are lots of boring parts, it struck me today how the Israelites moved according to God's presence in a cloud. They had no idea how long they were going to be in one place. Could be a day, a month, or more. Whenever the cloud moved, they had to pack up and go. But packing up and going meant soooo much work, because they had the tabernacle with all of its specific details in the tearing up and setting down. The Israelites had to have faith that where God was leading them was worth all of the effort. I long for that kind of faith. The kind where I wake up every day and let God lead, not worrying about tomorrow, a month from now, 10 years from now, etc. The kind where I make the most of every opportunity (Eph. 4?) and still think eternally. May my head be in the clouds today.

Who killed our snowman?

On Friday, David and Noel made a snowman, and now he is losing his girth at rapid speed. Am I sad about this? Not at all!! Welcome, spring! We will miss the skiing, but bring on the warm weather!!

Get to know me!

I saw this on a blog post and thought it was a cool way to get to know someone. Here are my answers. Feel free to add yours and/or comment on mine.
By the way, I could answer the Bible to almost all of these, but since that is kind of a given, I'll exclude that book.

One book that changed my life: The Hiding Place by Cory Ten Boom. Amazing book about surviving the Holocaust and using everything for God's glory.

One book that I have read more than once: Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. If you know me at all, you know I am a huge Donald Miller fan. This is the best of his books. A great book about God that's not "religious"

One book I would take with me on a desert island: probably one of the classics that I've never read, like The Brothers Karamozov or War and Peace.

One book that made me laugh: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. He and his friend try and conquer the Appalachain Trail. Soooo funny in parts.

One book that made me cry: Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. This book could go in several other categories as well. But I distinctly remember finishing it sitting in a hallway before a class in college and just crying my eyes out. People were walking by thinking I was having a breakdown.

One book that scared the you-know-what out of me: I'm a pretty big wimp about scary books. I've started some Dean Koontz books and had to stop reading them because of nightmares!

One book I wish I had written: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. One of the best female-written books of all time. Love, love, love it.

One book I wish had never been written: Tie between Moby Dick and Johnny Tremain. I know they are classics, but I can't stand either one of them!

One book I am currently reading: Wild at Heart by John Eldridge

One book I intend to read: The Shack by William P. Young

Stir Crazy

So it was about 4 degrees all day today. Stir craziness got the best of us and Noel dressed up in all the winter wear we have. He stomped around the house in his boots for a couple of hours before I made him take them off. What a funny kid.

What Noel's up to

*almost 20 pounds

*lots of climbing--piano bench, kitchen chairs, bed, stairs, Tee, whatever he can

*animal sounds. His lion is especially mean and scary :)

*eating with utensils. He can't get the food on the fork, but once I hand him a fork with something, watch out!

*playing peek-a-boo

*wearing mom's sunglasses

*opening every door, drawer, container possible

*plastic bottles with lids (why do we buy him toys again?)

*being about the cutest little kid in the world

Why I love Kokomo

I'm not sure how long this link will be available, but this story is amazing.

http://www.kokomotribune.com/local/local_story_015084453.html

Christmas Highlights, part 3

On the day after Christmas, the Wittenbach Family all met up at Boyne Mountain in northern Michigan for 3 days of skiing, eating, water park-ing, and family time. We had such a good time. The skiing conditions were amazing, (especially since I got to try out my new ski blades that David got me for Christmas). It snowed most of the time, so there was always fresh powder for the slopes. And on the last day some of us went to the indoor water park at the resort. Noel loved being in the water, and although he struggled with sleep, he had a good time being loved on by his big family. Yet another reminder of how much God has blessed us.

Christmas Highlights, part 2

Our second Christmas celebration was on Christmas day itself. We had Christmas at our house in the morning, and then at my grandparents' house in the afternoon. I think Noel's favorite gift is his new toy vacuum. He drags it all over the house. After lunch with the family, we headed up to Michigan to spend Christmas night with David's parents, David's brother and family, and David's grandmother. Noel was a little overwhelmed with all the people, but we thought it was really cool that he got to see every one of his grandparents and great-grandparents on the actual day of Christmas. This is a rare occurance, especially when they live in different states.

Christmas Highlights, part 1

Our first Christmas celebration took place at my parents' house. Noel didn't really understand the whole present thing, but enjoyed the food and family. Our highlight was playing Guitar Hero III with the whole fam. Everyone got in on the action.

Let the fun begin!

Since we have snow now we realized that Noel needs snow boots! We found a pair that not only light up, but they have snowboarders on the side! So we took a few pictures while Noel gave a fashion show, sans pants. Who doesn't love those legs???

Snow Day!

Just wanted to put some pictures of us enjoying the season. Noel got to really experience snow for the first time. He loves being outdoors, just like his dad. Just wait until he can ski/snowboard!

And our little Christmas tree looks so cute! I'm amazed that Noel hasn't bothered it. . .yet. Looking forward to more fun this month.